Established through the Kreitler Environmental Fund, the Kreitler Environmental Scholarships will provide financial assistance for VTS students to participate in significant international or national consultations, conferences, or events related to the environment on a per-need basis. The overall purpose of the scholarships is to enhance students' appreciation and stewardship of the environment through informed theological beliefs. Scholarship recipients will represent VTS at the consultation, conference or event, and be required to submit a report to the entire Seminary community at an appropriate time. Applications for the Kreitler Environmental Scholarships for the academic year 2007-2008 must be made to the Seminary's Financial Aid Office no later than May 15, 2008.

"It is wonderful that the Seminary is able to announce the availability of these important scholarships as we approach Earth Day and the first Kreitler Environmental Lecture at Virginia Seminary on April 22, 2008," said the Very Rev. Ian Markham, dean and president of VTS. "The future leaders of our church must understand the sacred responsibility we have to safeguard and preserve 'this fragile earth our island home.' We are thankful for the generosity and vision of the Kreitler family, and hope the availability of these scholarships will inspire environmental stewardship of our students in their future ministries."

The Kreitler Environmental Fund was established at VTS in 2006 by the family and friends of John Henry Kreitler and Murial Gwillem Kreitler, to explore ways one's appreciation and stewardship of the environment is enhanced by informed theological beliefs, and to empower the seminary community, clergy and the church with a strong environmental ethic in order to help conserve and preserve the environment.

The first Kreitler Environmental Lecture, "Remembering the Land: Reading the Bible through Agrarian Eyes," by Ellen Davis. Ph.D., professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School, will be held at VTS' Lettie Pate Evans Auditorium at 7 p.m. on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22. The lecture is free of charge and open to the public. Individuals should RSVP to Vivian Dooley-Burney, at vdooley-burney@vts.edu or 703-461-1714.

Contributions to support this important ministry of theology and the environment may be sent to The Kreitler Environmental Fund at Virginia Theological Seminary, c/o The Very Rev. Ian Markham, 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, Virginia, 22304. For more information, contact Edwin K. Hall, vice president for Institutional Advancement at ehall@vts.edu or 703-461-1711.

VTS is the largest of the 11 seminaries of the Episcopal Church and was founded in 1823. The school prepares men and women, representing more than 40 different dioceses and 9 different countries, for service in the Church, both as ordained and lay ministers, and offers a number of professional degree programs and diplomas.